Over the last few seasons, the Chicago Bears and their NFC North competitors have traded players on a regular basis, and one pass-catcher has now made his way across the division.
The Minnesota Vikings have just signed Robert Tonyan Jr., making him the fourth and final tight end in the NFC North.
“The #Vikings have signed TE Robert Tonyan and waived LB Donovan Manuel,” the Vikings’ official X account announced on May 17.
Robert Tonyan Jr. played a minimal role for the Bears and could see it increase with the Vikings in 2024.
Tonyan earned $2.65 million from the Bears last season. He played in all 17 games, making six starts, and had 11 catches for 112 receiving yards on just 17 targets, according to Pro Football Reference. He didn’t find the end zone.
Tonyan’s Chicago agreement came after a five-year tenure with the Green Bay Packers, where he was one of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ favourite targets. Tonyan’s NFL career began in 2017 with the Detroit Lions, although he never played a regular-season game for the team and earned only $28,800 for his stint on the practice squad, according to Spotrac.
Tonyan might receive extensive field time against Chicago when the Bears face the Vikings for the first time in Week 12 of November. However, Tonyan is most likely only a bridge in Minnesota to the return of a healthy T.J. Hockenson, a former Lions player and two-time Pro Bowler who tore his knee late last season and is now recovering from surgery.
Hockenson is expected to be fully healthy before either of Chicago’s games against the Vikings, making Tonyan a minor, if not non-factor, in those games.
Cole Kmet will be the top tight end option in the Bears’ revamped passing offence this season.
Cole Kmet led the Chicago passing offence last year with career highs in catches (73), receiving yards (719), and touchdowns (6). Kmet is expected to play a significant role in a vastly improved pass game in 2024, which will include wide receivers Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze joining DJ Moore, as well as quarterback Caleb Williams — the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2024 — who will replace Justin Fields as starter in Week 1.
According to StatMuse, Kmet was second in all major receiving categories in Chicago last season, trailing only Moore, but that does not appear to be the case in 2024, given all of the high-profile additions on offence and the likelihood that the Bears will air the ball out more with Williams under centre than with Fields.
The summer developments in Chicago rendered Tonyan — whose major skill is pass-catching — a superfluous player on a club that did not feature him prominently even last year, when it would have made more sense.
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